Hub-odometer drive



R. R. KARICH.

HUB ODOMETER DRIVE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-12.1919.

1,368,504.. Patel 1M Feb. 15,1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT, omen,

BUDOLF B. KABICH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR '10 THE AMERICAN TAKIMETER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HUB-ODOMETER DRIVE.

'To all whom it may concem Be it known that I, RUnoLr B. Knmon, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York in the county of New York and ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hub- Odometer Drives, of which the following is a s ecification.

his invention relates to hub-odomete'rs, and has special reference to an improved coupling or drive connection between the re ister operating means and the wheelaxle. 0 this end the invention contemplates a simple device which may be readily fitted to a suitable element of the register support, n such a manner that the fitting of the odometer to the wheel hub will be greatly facilitated. That is to say, the invention contemplates a simple and practical device State of which may be secured to'a conveniently ac cessible or exposed part of the register support, whereby when the odometer casing s fitted to the wheel hub, a positive and reliable connection will be automatically formed between the stationary nut on the axle of the wheel and the register supporting and operating means. hile various expedients have been heretofore adopted for this purpose, they frequently present considerable difiiculty in making the installation, because of the fact that it is difficult to properly locate the parts which interengage, on ac-- count of the same being obscured from view when the odometer casing is fitted over the end of the hub. v I

A further object of the invention is to provide an economical coupling or connector unit which may be readily made from stamped metal, and easily assembled, while at the same time being thoroughly reliable and efficient under all conditions of use.

With the above and other objects in,view which will readily appear as the natureof the invention is better understood the same consists in the novel features, combinat on and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: I a

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a hub-odometer showing the arrangement of parts and location of the present drive connection or coupling;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed March 22, 1919- Serial No. 284,419.

trate one practical application there is shown in F i 1 a type of odometer in practical use. eferrin to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the usual hub-odometer casing A which is fitted to the wheel hub houses therein a stationary register unit B whose rotary base C has a recess at one side thereof for accommodating the disk D. This disk s fastened to the register supporting means ournaled in the base C, and because the casmg A and base C rotate with the wheel, and

the register unit must remain stationary, it

is necessary to connect the register supportmg means with the wheel axle or nut carried thereby. This connection may be reliably established by the drive connection or cou pling proposed by. the present invention which is intended to be carried by the disk D and engage with the stationary lock nut E on the axle F, as shown. I

By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be observed that the said connector unit includes an attachingbase portion 1 adapted to be riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the disk D, and said base has formed therewith the oppositely disposed radial extensions 2 and 3, the former being bent at right angles to provide a guide fork 4 having the slot 5, while the latter is provided with the opposite struck-up ears 66. These ears constitute a supporting bracket for a connector arm 7 the lower end of which may also be provided with the offset ears 8 adapted to fit between the ears 6 and pivotally secured therebetween by the pin or shaft 9. v

In connection with the mounting of the connector arm 7 between the bracket ears nector arm from fallin below center. In other wordsthere is sufiicicnt clearance provided between the lower-end of the arm 7 and the face of the extension 3 to permit the connector arm to assume an outwardly inclined or oblique position with reference to' the face of the attaching base and its extensions. For the purpose of maintaining this relation of the arm to the base and also providing the resilient driving connection which is necessary to take care of any idle play between the axle and hub, the arm 7 has riveted thereto at 11 a fiat leaf spring 12 which bears against the face of the attaching disk to yieldingly maintain the connector arm in its outwardly inclined position.

The upper end of the connector arm 7 is provided with an offset and angularly disposed head or key portion 13 which is adapted to have a guiding engagement 1n the slot 5 of the angnlarly disposed forked end of the extension 2. In the normal condition of the unit the rear edge of the head 13 rests at the mouth of the slot 5, but when the arm is placed under tension as during installation or by side thrust of the axle with reference to the hub the head may ride farther back into the slot which will have the effect of steadying or stabilizing the connection between the axle and the register operating mechanism, and prevent undue twisting strain being imposed on the pivot 1n. p As shown in Fig. 1 the head or key 13 is adapted to fit in a slot or castellation S in the face of the nut E, and when the head of the connector arm is engaged in said slot a resilient sliding connection is provided between the lock nut fast on the axle and the re ister operating mechanism.

rom the foregoing it will be apparent that the structural features of the connector unit are such that the same may not only be readily fitted to the disk of the supporting instrumentalities for the register, but also the fitting of the entire hub-odometer assembly to the wheel hub is greatly facilitated. That is to say, after the unit has been secured to the disk D and the hubodometer assembly is being applied to the wheel hub, the outer edge of the head 13 will yieldingly bear against the surface of the nut, until the rotation of the casing brings the head in position to register with one end of the slot S. When registry takes place the head or key 13 will snap into the slot and the driving connection is completed although obscured from view.

Fig. 3 of the drawings shows a modified form of interlocking connection between the head 13 of the connector arm 7. and the guide member 4*. In this form of the deat the front end to provide a transverse abutment web 14, whereby an offset stop projection or earv 15 formed at one corner of the head 13, will prevent the connector arm swinging forward too far on its pivot. Thatis to say, it is proposed to form the head 13 with an integral projection which will have a free guiding engagement in the slot but will not be able to escape from the same, thereby always maintaining the correct guiding function of the guide member 4 with reference to the head. Furthermore, it is to be observed that the head 13 has pressed therein an intermediate reinforcing rib 16 the grooved side of which is shown in Fig. 3 and which gives the same added strength and reinforcement against being bent or deflected from its correct position. When the head 13 is interlocked with the slot S of the nut E, it is subjected to more or less transverse strain, and to meet this condition it is desirable to reinforce the head by the rib thereof as shown.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 not only gives the added advantage of a reinforced head, but also by reason of the projection 15 being prevented from leaving the slot 5 by the web 14 at the end thereof, it is impossible for the connector arm 7 to be twisted about on its pivot in case of the malfunctioning of any of the parts of the register mechanism or drive connections.

It is thought that other features and ad vantages of the device will be a parent to those skilled in the art without urther description.

claim:

1. An axle coupling unit for hub-odometers consisting of a base for attachment to a stationa part of the odometer, and a spring-presse connector arm pivotally supported at one end in a fixed location on the base and havin axle-part engaging means at the other end.

2. A driving connection for hub-odometers consisting of an attaching base, radial extensions formed from said base, and a spring pressed connector arm pivotally carried by one of said extensions and having a guiding engagement with the other.

3. A driving connection for hub odometers comprising an attaching base carrying a pivot pin and a single sprlng pressed connector arm having a non-shiftable pivotal mounting on said pin at one end and its opposite free end adapted for engagement with an axle part.

4. A driving connection for hub-odometers consisting of an attaching base, carried by the base and arranged in a plane parallel thereto, and a connector arm having an offset axle-part-engaging key at one end while the' other end is mounted on said pin. vice 1t 1s proposed to make the slot 5f closed 5. A drive connection for hub-odometers cons sting of an attaching base, radial extensions formed from sa-i base, one of said apin extensions having an angularly disposed slotted portion, and other of said extensions having bracket ears struckup therefrom and a spring pressedconnector arm pivotally mounted between the bracket ears and having a uiding engagement in the slotted portion 0 the other extension.

6. A drive connection for hub-odometers consisting of an attaching base, opposite radially disposed extensions therefrom, a supporting bracket formed at the end of one of said extensions, a guide member formed at the end of the other of said extensions, a

- connector arm mounted on a pivot arranged in said bracket and spaced from the face of the attaching base, the end of said armextending beyond the pivot to constitute an abutment for engaging with the face of the attachin base, a leaf s ring carried b the interme late portion 0 the arm and earing against e face of the attaching base, and an angularl disposed head portion formed from said a the said guide member.

7. A drive connection for hub-odometers conslsting of an attachin base, radial extensions ormed from sai base, a connector arm carried by one of said extensions, and a guide member formed at the end of the other,

of said extensions and having a slot, and a rm and interlocked with fixed abutment engaging head carried by said connector arm and havin an off-set projection for engaging in said s 0t.

8. A drive connection for hub-odometers consisting of an attaching base'formed with radial extensions, a connector arm pivotally connected to one of said extensions and having an integral reinforced head portion, a knob rojecting from said head ortion, a slotted guide member formed at t e end of the extension opposite that carryin the connector arm, the slot of said mem er being closed at its outer end to provide an abutment adapted to be engaged by said knob on the head.

9. A driving connection for hub-odometers consistin of a base for attachment to an operative e ement of the register, and a spring pressed connector arm pivotally mounted at one end on said base whereby its 0 posite free end may oscillate in the are 0? a circle for yieldingly engaging with an axle part.

In testimon whereof I hereunto afiix my signature'in t e presence of two witnesses.

RUDOLF R. KARICH.

I Witnesses: I

F. DUCASSE, W. E. MoGUmx. 

